Benteke Double Downs Dire Reds

Sports - Football - Premier League - LFC 1:2 CPFC

Crystal Palace made it six wins out of eight league games after seeing Christian Benteke's double haunt and down his former side Liverpool 1-2 on a sunny Super Sunday on Merseyside.

The win at Anfield sees Big Sam's side onto 38 points, seven clear of danger, whilst Jürgen Klopp is left scratching his head, watching his side failing and falling miserably against a lower side once again.

Apart from Philippe Coutinho's fine free-kick halfway through the first half, there was not much to cheer for the Reds, looking worn and torn, labouring 72% possession but not creating much.

The players just could not connect. Coutinho was the only one who looked able to do anything with the ball. The rest just looked clueless.

Passing, looking, passing, looking, passing, looking, passing, looking, passing, looking,...

Losing out to a much more stubborn, strong and set side that know what they want: WIN! Or not lose, that's for sure!

Man of the match Benteke made his presence felt in the final third and levelled the score a couple of minutes before the break with a nice strike into the top of the net.

That took a lot of steam out of the Anfield train. It derailed totally in the second half. Liverpool did not look dangerous, in control or in with a real chance at any point.

Just over 15 minutes to go, the former Red Belgian striker headed the winner in with too much space off a corner, Liverpool's defence all over the place, the Kop stunned to silence. Not happy.

Klopp did make all three changes after that smack in the face, all attacking, but it was all too little too late.

Palace have now won on their last three league trips to Anfield - the first team to do so since Chelsea in October 2005.

Liverpool stay in third, three points behind Tottenham in second, two and three points ahead of City and United in fourth and fifth respectively.

However, Spurs and both Manchester sides have two games in hand! TWO! Not good. Nicht gut.

It was one of the worst games I've been to at Anfield - and I've seen us get hammered by the Great Gunners (back in those Thierry Henry days).

We just didn't look or sound like we wanted to be there or get anything out of the game.

No YNWA at the end of the game. Just an empty stadium as soon as the full time whistle blew. I did not like that. At all.

I always loved Anfield and the Kop cause we stick with our side no matter what. Walk on. Not walk off.

This time it looked and sounded more like the latter. Klopp needs to change something, find someone, to change that! To get the spark back!

Is it because of our main players like Sadio Mané or Jordan Henderson are missing?

But there should still be some will or determination, aspiration or hunger to play and prove yourself and win!

I didn't see or hear any of that on Sunday! And with only four games left to play for the Reds, it looks very bleak and I really doubt our chances of finishing in the top four!

Liverpool Goal: Coutinho 24'.

Crystal Palace Goals: Benteke 42' & 74'.

Liverpool Team: 22 Mignolet, 2 Clyne (16 Grujic 84', booked), 32 Matip, 6 Lovren (66 Alexander-Arnold 79'), 7 Milner (18 Moreno 82'), 23 Can, 21 Lucas, 5 Wijnaldum, 11 Firmino, 27 Origi, 10 Coutinho.
Subs not used: 1 Karius, 12 Gomes, 57 Brewster, 58 Woodburn.

Crystal Palace Team: 13 Hennessey, 2 Ward, 34 Kelly, 5 Tomkins, 31 Schlupp, 28 Milivojevic (booked), 11 Zaha (3 van Aanholt 78'), 7 Cabaye (27 Delaney 83'), 42 Puncheon, 10 Townsend, 17 Benteke (booked, 9 Campbell 88').
Subs not used: 1 Speroni, 4 Flamini,  18 McArthur, 26 Sako.

Referee: Andre Marriner
Man Of The Match: Christian Benteke
Ground: Anfield
Attendance: 53,086

Click here for my previous LFC match report.

All pictures, facts and stats are taken from the BBC match report.